The Central government has decided to take over the Polavaram irrigation project to speed up construction and resolve financial and administrative delays. The move is aimed at ensuring faster execution and smoother coordination.
The Union government is now committed to fully managing the project for early completion. At present, the Chandrababu government is continuing the construction with support from the Centre.
The Chandrababu government has set a target to complete the project by December 2027. Meanwhile, the Jal Shakti ministry has set up the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) to oversee implementation and coordination. The PPA is headed by Atul Jain.
The project is under review by a high-level committee linked to the Central Water Commission. Telangana and Odisha have raised objections over submergence and water sharing issues, which have slowed progress.
The Centre believes full control will ensure easier fund flow and reduce bureaucratic hurdles. It feels this step will help clear long-pending issues that earlier caused major delays.
The Union government has already allocated large funds for construction and rehabilitation. It approved Rs 12,157 crore in principle in August 2024 and announced Rs 5,936 crore in the 2025 to 26 Union Budget.
